NCB Keycard celebrates milestone anniversary
22 Apr 2012
NCB Keycard celebrates 31 years since it became the first proprietary credit card in Jamaica and the English-speaking Caribbean on April 24, 2012. Following the successful launch of the revamped Lovebird Keycard rewards programme recently, Keycard will usher in this milestone anniversary in a 'big' way. This Tuesday, Keycard will make its mark on the North Coast by erecting a 125' x 25' Hollywood styled sign on hillside of Top Road, which was once home to the Red Stripe billboard. "Keycard is indisputably Jamaica's card," stated Bob Blake, Senior General Manager, Treasury, Correspondent Banking and Card Services Division. "In 1981, it was unheard of for a small island such as ours to develop our own payment method. In 2012, it is apparent that this foresight was as a result of visionary leadership and strategic thinking that sees NCB maintaining a distinct competitive advantage through this unique selling proposition. The new iconic sign is a symbol that Keycard is here to stay, " Blake continued. Keycard will be welcomed to the second city with the lighting of the sign on Tuesday evening followed by a small gathering of stakeholders to commemorate the event. When asked the inevitable question, "Why now?" Sheree Martin, General Manager, Marketing, Communications and Service Delivery could not help but reflect on the customer experience, "Keycard is a point of pride for many Jamaicans. People have a relationship with this product that is completely homegrown and this sentiment has been enhanced by the nationalism that comes along with a milestone year such as Jamaica's 50th." When asked to expand on the customer responsiveness to the brand Martin shared, "It has been absolutely amazing. The love affair that people have with this brand and the stories they tell would give you goose bumps. Keycard was known by many as the card you could get when you weren't able to get a card from other banks; this meant a lot to people back then and they have carried that sentiment with them." Martin's account is supported by the card's sizeable nationwide acceptance; NCB's Point of Sale machine is the preferred instrument among merchants and SMEs based on market reports. The Keycard brand became popular in the '80s and '90s for catchy commercials and memorable taglines such as 'Why bother with cash, use Keycard instead,' and 'The way to pay in JA.' NCB has committed to stay true to its value proposition while making the product increasingly relevant to its core base as well as young professionals.